Mulch and the method of making and applying the same



G. B. HOAG May 23, 1933.

MULCH AND THE METHOD OF MAKING AND APPLYING THE SAME Filed April 1, 1952 Glen 13.11047 Patented May 23, 1933 UNI'f'Df-:Sm-S

GLEN 12,.,y none, 4or Ehrmann, cliiunioiaivral Mumia yA1411)mail:it1112111191) or vurinarias. AND Anmarnve THE SAME Applidation filed Aprlil,

This invention relates -to a mulch `and to the method of makin@ and applying the same. A mulch, in laccordance with my invention.

is designed primarily for use in arid or semiarid regions where moisture is costly and art1 ficially supplied, but it-isrto be understood that the mulchmaybe is found applicable.

The essential ob] ects of my invention are-toV facilitate and to enhance the growth of plants after the latter are up or' set into the ground;

to reduce the evaporation of moisture. and

thereby retain it as long as possible and to` retain the moisture as closeto the surface as possible throughout the root zone of the plant; to reduce to a minimum the-reflecting of the rays of the sun striking the mulch mat to prevent sunburn tor-the plant; to provide a space between the rows ofplants for the application of water in furrows or otherwise from where by seepage the soil becomes lmoist under the mulch mat and isdrawn to the sur# face of the soil under the mulch by capillary attraction; covering the whole root system loose under the mulch mat; and to attain these ends in a durable, compact, thoroughly eilicient and inexpensive structure and in the kmethodofproducing and applying it.

To the above ends essentiallyy and others which may hereinafter appear, my invention consists of a construction ofthe mulch and method of making and applying it which fall within the'scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view illustra-ting two rows of growing plants separated by a furrow and showing the application to the plants of the manner of mulching thereof in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a pair of overlapping mulch mats in accordance with my invention and illustrating the adaptation thereof with respect to a growing plant.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a mulch mat in accordance with my invention in the state for application to a plant.

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of employed wherever it of the plant for keeping the soil moist and 1932. serial No. 602,561.

modified forms of mulch mats in accordancey with my `'invention in state for application. 5

Referring'to the drawing, l andV 2I denote.. two rows ofgrowing plantsseparated by a, furrow 3 to which water is supplied for seep- 5-5 age lto rows Vl and 2.r` Seated upon the soil and encompassing each plant of a rowis' a mulch mat 4. Each mat of each row of mats will be defined as having slitted inner and non-slittedv outer end parts 5, 6 respectivelyfm The upper face of the end part 5 of one'mat is overlapped by the lower face of the end part 6 of an adjacent mat.' Each mat is formed with a slit centrally of its end part 5, as at 7` and the edgesy of the latter are torn,slitted or incised in proximity to the closed end of the slit to form bendablefreed portions 8 capable of being crimped or to snuglyy engage about the plant in close proximity to they ground level'without widening slit- .7 v f7.0

Positioned upon the inner end part 5 and closing the major portion of the slit inl the latter, is the outer end part 6 of an adjacent mat. rllhe edge of such end part 6 of such adjacent mat is positioned in close proximity tothe plant which, is extended throught-,he end part 5 which is 'overlapped Vby the end parte. i

y Thema-t is formedfro'm. a sheetof fibrous material, preferably dull black iand com- 80, pletely saturated with a 'waterproong ma` terial, preferablyblack and' provided with bendable free-d parts in proximity to one end thereof-for the passage of;` the plant. 'The freed parts are, extended upwardly and are 8.5 tok snugly engage the plant. The ultimate product is topossess a characteristic for non-v reiecting of the sun. rays therefrom, or so .i it willreduceto a minimum thegreflection4 ofthe sun rays striking it to prevent the 99 plant being sunburned. The waterproof sheet is slitted at one end portion thereof and with the inner endvof the split positioned. adjacent the center of the sheet. That portion of the sheet which is not slitted is to be '95, of a width to cover the distance betweentwo plants 'of a row. .p See Figurel. The length of the slit or incision will be such as to pro-v vide for the non -slitted part of the matto be of an area to cover the soil between two 19@ plants, even though there be irregularities lapped relation, that is to say the outer endA portion of one mat will overlaptheinner end portion 'of an adjacentniat; i' Further-V' that part of .the matlextending from the.

tion'ed dimensionto a pointspaced from the plant to its outere'nd willbe' of "an areafto cover the soil between a pair of plants ogf the row. Furthermore the mats when positioned .relative to the plants of lthe row will reduce evaperationrand willrbe of anarea ito retain `the moistureas close to #the surface as possible r,throughout the. iroot zones of the plants,vas well as act to lreepth'e soil :upon which thelmats are positioned moist and-loose. With reference'to the :mat shown in Figure 4 and indicated rgenerally'at' 9, it issimilar in "construction'fto 4the form illustrated'in T Figure S3, with' this =exception,rthat it ,is provided withapair ofslits l:10, each arranged at 'a v:point between the longitudinal median and eachside edge of the mat body and the latter kis `formed with freed portions 11 adja- 303cent ltheinner end-of each slit. The mat body yis of a size to encompass kthe plants of two rows of plants.

Referring'to the mat illustrated in Figure M 5`and indicatedfgene-rallylat 12, iit is smailar lin construction. yto Ithejform shown in Figure 3, with this exception, vthat 'fthe Yslit Iii-and freed portions 14 thereot` are located at a point :between the-'longitudinal' median and one side-edgefof the matfbody, and th'eilatter 40is o-a sizeto'extend froniia vplant of oneirow of :plants kfto a point in proximity to'a plantv of-an 'adj acent `row `of plants.

With respect to double row planting, in

qqthe case o-strawberries,lettuce, etc., and'with ia row 'of plants arranged on leach side of a ridge the mat 9 will-'be ofza siaeand so-formed ,V asto encompass inwardly-of its edges a plant of each rowV simultaneously,y as well asvtoy completely cover the soil between such pair 5030i plants. The mats as applied to the rows.

will lbe arranged fin overlapped relation to completely-cover the soil between. the plants of Aeach row. IVith-r'espect'to the 'employ-y ment of mats '12 offthe form shownmiFi'gure:

`5 independentfoverlapping mats 12 willbe appliedtotheplants of'each of the'rows and the 'arrangement will be such, that the 'mats 12 as applied'to one row will overlap those applied lto the-other row whereby the-mats 1 w'willextend over the topof the ridge between said rows. There will'be arranged ad]a'cent each of the ridgesja furrow vfor the application of moistureA thereto, that is to say, a

.urrow will be arranged between each pair.Y

55"' of ridges.

vther, said lslit-extending from one edge of the sheetin the direction of said second menopposite-edge approximately the distance between plants in a row, said slit being spaced Jfrom veach of the-other two edges by a distance greater than the length of the slit, whereby when a plurality of such Sheets are laid :in yadj acentrows .with ltheir respective slits eachengaginga single plant and extending fintherdirectionof the |rows, there will be an openspaceleftbetween'the-rows of mulching for introduction of moisture into thesoil, thefground aroundeach-plant will'be covered by thesheet'surrounding thatplant and the slit 1in each-sheet will be overlapped by the unslitted end of the .next sheetl in the row for the greater portion ofthe-length of the slit to cover the ground between lthe plants inra row and assist in holding the sides of said slit together. Y

2. Ina method yof'mulching a :plurality 'of adjacent rows vof growing plants, completely covering :the fground around-each v,plant by passing each plant of feach of the rowsthrough arnorrnally closed rslit in a separate mulch, disposing said mulch laterallyin oppositedirectionswith respect to theplant but in'spacedrelation to -the'mulches ofthe ad'- jacent :rows and disposing thesaid mulch to completely coverrthezspace between suchplant and :one ofthe next adjacent plants in the row, andto substantially completely cover the slit of the -Inulchsurroundingithe next adjacentplantitofassist .in holding the sides `of said 'slit-together. v Y

In testimony whereof, I aliix my signature hereto. f

vGLEN4 B. HOAG.

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